The weekly messenger., 1887-02-19
HOW SOME NORTH CAROLINA
PEOPLE MAKE a LIVING.
Collecting Medicinal Plants, Roots,
Barks and Bcrries-The Lar
gest Herb-COlIectius House
ia the World. Etc.

ideeri,er SAYS: Besides the many stores
carrying considerable stocks, there are
five tobacco factories in operation and
one under construction, three tobacco
warehouses, two tanneries, spoke and
shuttle block factory, and two large es
tablishments for the collection of med
icinal herbs, roots, barks, gums and
berries. One Of these, the largest house
of the kind in the world, does business
of 500, coo annually in these goods, of
which it handles more than 1900 varie-
ties, weighing upward of 1900, 900
pounds This concern began business
In a small way in 1859, but was broken
up by the war. Soon after it ende1 the
firm of vs. ace Brothers was formed and
the business resumed. At first they
dealt in few articles except gensing, but
after awhile they added to their variety
such things as druggists called for until
their catalogue contained the names of
nearly 2.l0O articles. Professor Gray,
of Cambridg re has said that there are more
medicinal plants in western North Caro-
lima than in any one place in North
confirms his statement.
Thesystcm employed is simple enough.
but it required executive alb l.ty of no
mean order to establish it and to keep it
in successful operation. The Wallaces
were country merchants doing business
with people who had little or no money.
The little crossroad traders came to them
for goods. and paid their bills with such
produce as they could get from their
customers. Ginseng was the most
marketable article. China never gets too
much of it, ana has. VIII n it was scarce,
given its weight in gold for it. Seneka
snake root was another equivalent for
ready cash. The Wallaces encouraged
their customers to get all of these the
could. They in turn sold their stocks to
exporters and druggists and through the
acquaintance thus made they learned
what the trade would buy and at what
prices.
After time they concluded that T
they could secure the services of a thor
oughly capable botanist they could in
crease their business and consequent
profits. The MN they wanted was living
at Marion, in Mcdowell county. Pro-
fessor NJ. +. Hyams was born in Charles
ton, South Carolina, received prepara-
tory education there, and graduated at
seventeen years o'd he began his botani-
cal studies, which soon became his
ruling passion. At the age of twenty
Ave he made the collection of botanical
specimens his business. When the Wal
lace Brothers found and hirel him he
knew more of the flora of Western
North Carolina than any one had ever
known before. His duties were
those of an instructor. The women and
children in the mountains were taught
where to look for plants they had never
gathered before, when to pluck them,
and in what condition to deliver them at
the stores. The merchants who received
them were then instructed, and finally
the heads of the firm and their chief en-
ployes. 1t was long task; there were
collectors and stores in some thirty coun-
ties to be visited. During all that time
and for years afterward the Professor ex-
plored thcSmountains in search of new
bOtan:ca specimens, or Of fresh fields in
which the more valuable herbs grew.
While in one of these botanical quests
in 1915 the Professor found in Mcdowell
County prize. The discovery of a mate
to the KohinoOr would not have elated
him so highly. 1t was the Shortia galu-
cifolia, a rare plant once found and de-
scribed, then lost to botanists for seven
ty-tve years. lie could scarcely believe
his eyes, but there it was beyond mis-
take. so carefully gathering few speci
mems from the very small number that
grew there, and noting well the surround
ings that he might find il again, thiPro-
fessor left the wilderness and put himself
into communication with Professor Grey
and other cminen. botanists. TIey were
nh &nl 4, nd